Postpartum Depression

My second child was a breeze to take care of. She was so less demanding than my son. He was a preemie who required 3 hour feedings to thrive and who didn’t sleep through the night until 6 months. In contrast, she slept through the night at 6 weeks and was a happy, cheerful baby. I had the luxury of regular sleep, a supportive husband and felt that our family was complete. You would think I would be happy but one day after crying for most of the day, yelling at my husband and feeling like a truck had run over me it dawned on me: I had postpartum depression. I had been experiencing these symptoms for up to two weeks along with anxiety, forgetfulness, and feelings of hopelessness.

Right away I let my family know what was going on and enlisted their help, My husband took some time off and I made a plan for better self-care and to get out of the house. Lucking after a month my symptoms lessened and I felt more in control of myself and my life. For some women these symptoms last longer and can sometimes turn into depression. If this is you it is helpful to know what you are struggling with and get help.

What is the difference between “baby blues,” postpartum depression (PPD), and postpartum psychosis?

-The baby blues can happen in the days right after childbirth and normally go away within a few days to 2 weeks.

-Postpartum blues do not interfere with a woman’s ability to care for her baby.

-PPD can happen anytime within the first year after childbirth.

-You may have negative thoughts about the baby and fears about harming the infant (although women who have these thoughts rarely act on them).

-Postpartum depression often affects a woman’s well-being and keeps her from functioning well for a longer period of time and interferes with a woman’s ability to care for her baby. This condition occurs in about 10-20% of women.

-Postpartum psychosis is rare (e.g. Andrea Yates) Women who have bipolar disorder or another psychiatric problem called schizoaffective disorder have a higher risk for developing postpartum psychosis. Symptoms may include delusions, inability to sleep for no more than 2 hours per night, rapid mood swings, hallucinations (hearing voices, seeing things), paranoia and obsessive thoughts about the baby. For this condition you should seek immediate medical help.

What is PPD?

Any of these symptoms after pregnancy that last longer than two weeks are signs of depression